60-second interview: Tom Ward, group marketing manager, Northside Truck and Van

My favourite holiday destination is...

Croatia. The people are friendly and the place is beautiful.
 

I drive a...

Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
 

My hobby is...

Hockey. It’s deemed by some as a sport for girls but when a plastic ball is launched at your head at 100mph it gets the heart pumping.
 

I got into the industry when...

I realised it’s in my blood. My grandad ran a company called George Ward Haulage, and my dad and I are one of many family members that work at Northside.
 

To encourage young people into the industry we should...

Give them opportunities. Placements can give them a taste of the variation the industry has to offer. Northside is strong at giving young people a chance, and even though we won the Motor Transport award for Apprenticeship Scheme of the Year in 2015 we are working on improving this.
 

The outlook for our sector over the next 12 months is...

Positive. The uncertainty of Brexit means that it is businesses such as Northside that must help haulage companies maintain a competitive edge. However, the feeling I get inside Northside is that it is business as usual.

This article was published in the 11 August issue of Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe to get 12 issues for just £12?